[100] "Venerable sir, I ask the Blessed One likewise: there are these many fields of craft — namely, elephant riders, horsemen, charioteers, archers, standard-bearers, camp marshals, food-servers, uggas, princes, forlorn-hope chargers, great warriors, heroes, leather-clad soldiers, sons of slaves; bakers, barbers, bath attendants, cooks, garland-makers, dyers, weavers, basket-makers, potters, accountants, finger-talliers — and whatever other fields of craft there are of a similar nature. Those people subsist in this very life on the visible fruit of their craft; with it they make themselves happy and satisfied, they make their mother and father happy and satisfied, they make their children and wives happy and satisfied, they make their friends and companions happy and satisfied; and among ascetics and brahmins they establish an uplifting offering (dakkhiṇā) — heavenly, ripening in happiness, conducive to heaven. Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out in the same way a fruit of the ascetic life (sāmaññaphala) that is visible in this very life?"
"It is possible, great king. Well then, great king, I shall question you in return on this point; answer as you see fit. What do you think, great king? Suppose you had a man who was a slave, a worker — rising before you, retiring after you, attentive to whatever you bid, agreeable in conduct, pleasant in speech, ever watching your face. He would think: 'How wonderful, sirs, how marvelous is the destination of merits, the ripening of merits! For this King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the Videhan lady, is a human being, and I too am a human being. Yet this King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the Videhan lady, amuses himself endowed and furnished with the five cords of sensual pleasure — like a god, I should think — while I am his slave, his worker, rising before him, retiring after him, attentive to whatever he bids, agreeable in conduct, pleasant in speech, ever watching his face. Truly, I should do deeds of merit. Suppose I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the home life into homelessness.' Then after some time he shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the home life into homelessness. Having gone forth thus, he would dwell restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, content with the mere minimum of food and covering for the body, delighting in seclusion. And suppose your men were to report this to you: 'May it please you to know, sire: that man of yours — the slave, the worker, who rose before you, retired after you, was attentive to whatever you bid, agreeable in conduct, pleasant in speech, ever watching your face — that man, sire, has shaved off his hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and gone forth from the home life into homelessness. Having gone forth thus, he dwells restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, content with the mere minimum of food and covering for the body, delighting in seclusion.' Would you then say: 'Let that man come back to me, sirs; let him once again be my slave, my worker — rising before me, retiring after me, attentive to whatever I bid, agreeable in conduct, pleasant in speech, ever watching my face'?"
"Certainly not, venerable sir. Rather, it is we who should pay homage to him, rise up for him, and invite him to a seat; we should invite him to accept robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick; and we should arrange for his lawful guarding, shelter, and protection."
"What do you think, great king? That being so, is there a fruit of the ascetic life visible in this very life, or is there not?"
"Assuredly, venerable sir, that being so, there is a fruit of the ascetic life visible in this very life."
"This, great king, is the first fruit of the ascetic life, visible in this very life, which I have pointed out to you."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.